Alumni story: an Italian business graduate in London
Fabio Zheng looks back on his year as an international student in London, and all the opportunities and skills he gained during his time there
Fabio Zheng
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Before starting my master’s degree at University of Florence in Italy.
After living in Italy for more than 20 years, I decided to move to a new environment, ideally somewhere with more international exposure. London was, naturally, one of the strongest candidates.
However, it was not easy to decide which programme to choose. I wanted a versatile curriculum that provided the opportunities to join different industries after graduation. After hours and hours of researching various business schools and programmes, I found that the MSc in international management at Imperial fulfilled my requirements.
The application process was pretty simple and straightforward, although it required a lot of preparation before submitting the application form. In addition to the supporting documents such as your CV, academic transcripts and references, applicants have to submit a strong personal statement and answer career-planning questions. I found them very self-reflective and useful to clarify my objectives and ambitions.
Each applicant has an impressive CV and outstanding achievements. To stand out, you need to demonstrate emotional intelligence and cultural awareness.
I was then invited for a video interview. I received my offer a few weeks after the interview and that was when I knew I was going to London.
Starting a new chapter of your life in an unfamiliar country was not easy and the pandemic increased this difficulty manyfold.
Housing is the first hurdle that international students have to overcome when moving to London. I chose to stay in student accommodation owned by Imperial so I could meet other students more easily.
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London is such a big city compared with Florence and as a newcomer I had to familiarise myself with both the city and the university. The former is still a work in progress a year and a half later. The latter was quite easy thanks to the other students I met at Imperial.
Most international students who choose to study in London aim to stay and work in the city after graduation. I was one of them.
Studying at Imperial College Business School helped me with my career development in many ways.
The modules I studied and the advice I received from the careers team prepared me to succeed in online tests and interviews. The new hybrid networking opportunities provided by the Business School further improved my chances of following my ideal professional path upon graduation.
It was a challenging year with the intense master’s programme and the Covid-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, I managed to complete my degree with distinction and land a job in strategy consulting.
Overall, Imperial College Business School helped me achieve my goal of moving to London to begin my career in consulting. I enjoyed the programme, although we missed many in-person activities because of the pandemic.
Currently, I am enjoying my post-Imperial life in London while working in a fast-paced company. I encourage international students who wish to study and work in London to start their research online.
If you have more personalised and detailed questions, do not hesitate to reach out to current students and alumni to understand whether the programme or London is the right choice for you.
